NAIAS: Scion "Race" FR-S and "First 86" Program

by Jack Baruth

January 9th, 2012 6:31 PM

naias scion race fr s and first 86 program

Scion debuted a “racing” version of its FR-S at Detroit today. The word “racing” appears in quotes because this vehicle will actually compete in Formula DRIFT, which is no more “racing” than it is “championship chess”. When a real racing FR-S appears — and it certainly will — it’s likely that the Grand-Am Continental Tire Series or Speed World Challenge will be its first port of call.

Race teams who want to make sure their FR-S arrives in time to participate in the 2012 season might want to take advantage of another bit of FR-S news… a “hand-raiser” opportunity to be one of the first eighty-six owners in the United States.

ScionFirst86 is Scion/Toyota’s effort to make sure the most enthusiastic hachi-roku fanatics get their hands on the first FR-Ses to land on these shores. It’s a nice gesture, and it’s also a nice way to make an end run around the predatory instincts of Toyota dealers, who given the chance would certainly slap a $10,000 ADP sticker on every FR-S to arrive in 2012. Click the link for details. Your humble author is certainly considering it. If only Ford hadn’t debuted a lime green Boss 302 today…

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7 of 15 comments

Stryker1 on Jan 09, 2012

any MSRP on this thing?

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Tosh on Jan 09, 2012

As if I cared what The Marketing Dept does, as long as the product suits my needs for holding four adults in a pinch, I'm still interested in a test drive.

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- Burgersandbeer on Jan 09, 2012
  
  From what I have read and the pictures I have seen, I don't see how this car can hold four adults. This car isn't supposed to be much bigger than a miata. The rear seats are for insurance purposes and luggage space.
  
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Indi500fan on Jan 09, 2012

I assume if anybody is going to build one of these to race, they'll start with a BIW, not a finished car. We were even doing that way back in the late 70s with SCCA cars.

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Cognoscenti on Jan 10, 2012

I still have to get over the fact that it is to be marketed as a Scion. Even saying it out loud... blech!

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- MR2turbo4evr on Jan 10, 2012
  
  +1. The Scion's interior is also A LOT cheaper and worse than the Toyota GT86 interior. Unless they come to their senses and release a Toyota version of the car in north america down the road sometime, they've lost me as a customer. I'd gladly pay a few thousand dollars more to get the nicer GT86 instead of the FR-S.
  
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- Mnm4ever on Jan 10, 2012
  
  @MR2turbo4evr I am hoping the Subaru version will have the better interior. I noticed in the pictures that the Subaru badge appears to be the same size and shape as the Toyota badge... shouldn't be too hard to swap them out for Celica or GT86 badges! And I could avoid buying a Scion that way.
  
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